Comments on: How Do You Pray? http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/ "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men." -Joseph Smith Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:20:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bridget http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1326 Bridget Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:49:41 +0000 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=1015#comment-1326 Enos 1:4 -5 "And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed." Enos prayed to the Lord our Maker in mighty prayer and his prayers were answered. Our Maker is Jesus Christ. Enos 1:4 -5
“And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.”

Enos prayed to the Lord our Maker in mighty prayer and his prayers were answered. Our Maker is Jesus Christ.

]]> By: Thaddeus http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1036 Thaddeus Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:37:49 +0000 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=1015#comment-1036 Nathan, thank you for asking! This is a question I've done a lot of reading on, and every day I become more and more impressed with how the evidence stacks up in Joseph Smith's favor. A good place to start is an article called <a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2008/08/book-of-mormon-evidence/" rel="nofollow">Book of Mormon Evidence</a>. It lists a few of the most compelling (to me) pieces of evidence in support. Another important reason to believe in the book is because of the witnesses to the plates. Three witnesses testified that an angel showed them the gold plates. Another eight witnesses, on a separate occasion, held the plates and leafed through them (with no angel). Critics proposing a non-miraculous origin of the Book of Mormon have failed to account for these eleven men who never denied their testimonies of the plates, though some lost faith for other reasons (even outside the Church, they continued to affirm the veracity of the Book of Mormon). Ultimately, the question of evidence will come down to you. Is it compelling enough to convince <i>you</i>? And that, I think, is why the Lord invites us to go straight to Him as individuals and ask. You can study peripheral arguments for ages, but the surest and quickest method is to read the book itself and ask Father if it is true. And thank you for your service in Afghanistan. We are indebted to you. Nathan, thank you for asking! This is a question I’ve done a lot of reading on, and every day I become more and more impressed with how the evidence stacks up in Joseph Smith’s favor.

A good place to start is an article called Book of Mormon Evidence. It lists a few of the most compelling (to me) pieces of evidence in support.

Another important reason to believe in the book is because of the witnesses to the plates. Three witnesses testified that an angel showed them the gold plates. Another eight witnesses, on a separate occasion, held the plates and leafed through them (with no angel). Critics proposing a non-miraculous origin of the Book of Mormon have failed to account for these eleven men who never denied their testimonies of the plates, though some lost faith for other reasons (even outside the Church, they continued to affirm the veracity of the Book of Mormon).

Ultimately, the question of evidence will come down to you. Is it compelling enough to convince you? And that, I think, is why the Lord invites us to go straight to Him as individuals and ask. You can study peripheral arguments for ages, but the surest and quickest method is to read the book itself and ask Father if it is true.

And thank you for your service in Afghanistan. We are indebted to you.

]]> By: Nathan May http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1021 Nathan May Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:18:41 +0000 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=1015#comment-1021 I am finishing a combat tour in Afghanistan this week. Throughout the deployment I have read the bible, the Koran, and I am reading the book of Mormon now. I find the Bible hard to believe and aside from one point I think that the book of Mormon is more reasonable. I do understand that the Book of Mormon relies on the bible. My question is (other than what is said in the preamble of Nephi) what is one's justification for thinking that Joseph Smith did not create this book illegitimately of mistakenly? Thank you, I have always found it hard to ask religious question without sounding imposing. I am finishing a combat tour in Afghanistan this week. Throughout the deployment I have read the bible, the Koran, and I am reading the book of Mormon now. I find the Bible hard to believe and aside from one point I think that the book of Mormon is more reasonable. I do understand that the Book of Mormon relies on the bible.

My question is (other than what is said in the preamble of Nephi) what is one’s justification for thinking that Joseph Smith did not create this book illegitimately of mistakenly?

Thank you, I have always found it hard to ask religious question without sounding imposing.

]]> By: sunlize http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-471 sunlize Wed, 13 May 2009 07:31:00 +0000 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=1015#comment-471 Excellent post! I would add one thing. You can kneel to pray if you want to - and there are benefits to doing so as Thaddeus said, but you don't have to. I think people coming from other faiths or those who aren't used to praying may find kneeling a bit strange. I always pray when I'm lying in bed before I go to sleep. I also sometimes pray in the shower, while walking to class, when I'm in the car, etc. These are times when I can be alone with my thoughts. The external events also remind me to pray because I'm still getting used to praying and sometimes I forget. However, my nighttime prayers are the most personal and intimate because it's a time when I can really focus on my prayer. Something else that threw me when I was learning to pray was listening to Mormons pray aloud. There is a certain rhythm and certain words that LDS members use that are not native to nonmembers. In my personal prayers I talk to God in the same way as I do in everyday life. However I was uneasy praying aloud and using a more formal language, and I still am to some extent. But it's okay to be different. In fact, people may connect more to the prayer and to God when they're listening to a prayer that varies from what they are used to. When I feel nervous about praying aloud I just try to stick to the main components that Thaddeus listed about and let the Spirit guide me for the rest. :) Hope that helps. Excellent post! I would add one thing. You can kneel to pray if you want to – and there are benefits to doing so as Thaddeus said, but you don’t have to. I think people coming from other faiths or those who aren’t used to praying may find kneeling a bit strange. I always pray when I’m lying in bed before I go to sleep. I also sometimes pray in the shower, while walking to class, when I’m in the car, etc. These are times when I can be alone with my thoughts. The external events also remind me to pray because I’m still getting used to praying and sometimes I forget. However, my nighttime prayers are the most personal and intimate because it’s a time when I can really focus on my prayer.

Something else that threw me when I was learning to pray was listening to Mormons pray aloud. There is a certain rhythm and certain words that LDS members use that are not native to nonmembers. In my personal prayers I talk to God in the same way as I do in everyday life. However I was uneasy praying aloud and using a more formal language, and I still am to some extent. But it’s okay to be different. In fact, people may connect more to the prayer and to God when they’re listening to a prayer that varies from what they are used to. When I feel nervous about praying aloud I just try to stick to the main components that Thaddeus listed about and let the Spirit guide me for the rest. :) Hope that helps.

]]> By: Steve http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-457 Steve Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:38:35 +0000 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=1015#comment-457 "Speak Your Mind Plainly" ... That's a good way of putting it. It puts the emphasis on being honest with God. I think I'll use that when I try to help people understand prayer. I think if I were to write an article about this blog, I would have to include this quote: ”please make my neighbor die.” :) “Speak Your Mind Plainly” … That’s a good way of putting it. It puts the emphasis on being honest with God. I think I’ll use that when I try to help people understand prayer.

I think if I were to write an article about this blog, I would have to include this quote: ”please make my neighbor die.”
:)

]]> By: Dave http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/04/how-do-you-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-456 Dave Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:03:41 +0000 http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=1015#comment-456 Thaddeus! Congratulations on writing the 100th post!! Thaddeus! Congratulations on writing the 100th post!!

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